Sweets For Every Occasion – Blog & Bakery

Category: Snacks

I wanted to transform some not-so-exciting organic honey nut cereal (that I bought on sale) into something amazing … I knew exactly how I would do it.

Instead of using rice krispie cereal to make traditional marshmallow treats, I used the honey nut cereal. I also substituted 1/2 of the cereal for crushed potato chips for a salty & sweet version of a classic treat. I must warn you though….these are addictive! And with the white chocolate drizzle…. they’re even more enticing!

Here’s My Notes:

1)I wanted my treats to be thick, instead of using a 9×13-inch baking pan, I used a 8-inch square pan.

2)I can’t emphasize enough how simple these are to make. The sprinkles are perfect for a kid’s birthday party.

Sweet & Salty Marshmallow Treats

Yields: 16 marshmallow treat triangles

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons butter

1 (16oz.) package mini marshmallows

3 cups honey nut cereal

3 cups potato chips, crushed

White chocolate chips, melted

Sprinkles

Directions

In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Add in mini marshmallows, and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat and immediately stir in the cereal and crushed chips. Press firmly into a baking pan. Cool completely, about 15 minutes, before cutting into bars.

Assembly

With a fork, simply drizzle the white chocolate over each bar and decorate with the sprinkles. These are best eaten the same day. Store the leftovers in a plastic bag.

As far as snacks go, this is about as easy as it gets. Plus, they’re delicious and change things up from your normal everyday snack.

Here’s My Notes:

1)If you want these to keep longer than just the afternoon, cover the entire banana with chocolate. The chocolate seals the banana and prevents browning.

2)I’m crazy about sweet & salty snacks, so the salted peanut topped bananas are my favorite. Salted pistachios would be amazing, but they’re a bit pricey. The peanuts are a nice alternative, but if pistachios are in your budget…go for it!

3)I chose to use 60% Cocoa Bittersweet Chocolate Chips because they have less sugar than regular semi-sweet chocolate chips, but use your favorite kind chocolate chips.

Place the chocolate chips in a small bowl and place in the microwave for one minute; stir. If the chocolate is not completely melted return back to the microwave for 30 more seconds.

Cut the bananas in half and place a popsicle stick through each end. Using a small spatula, cover each banana with melted chocolate, place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Immediately sprinkle with desired topping; continue this process with all the bananas. Refrigerate for 15-30 minutes. I like mine to be cold, so I chill mine for 30 minutes. Enjoy !

Here is an apple version:

Dip apple slices in melted chocolate, and then immediately sprinkle with chopped, salted peanuts. Place directly onto a plate. Then chill for 10 minutes. I like to use Granny Smith apples or Golden Delicious. They are just my favorite kind of apple. Use your favorite, or whatever you have on hand. It’s a super quick and delicious snack.

Granola bars are the perfect quick breakfast to just grab and head out the door. They’re also super easy to give to kids for a healthy afternoon snack. But my only problem with store bought granola bars is that after an hour of eating them…..I’m hungry again!

I wanted an easy to make + satisfying + healthy homemade granola bar. The ingredients are simple. They are probably ingredients you already have in your pantry. And, most importantly, they are satisfying…finally. They’re great to have before you work out, which is the way I prefer, but if you like to have a post-work out snack, this is an excellent go- to. I also like these for breakfast with a cup of coffee, it will keep me full for almost three hours….a miracle.

I wrapped some of these bars up for my friends to try out. I cut strips of parchment paper and tied them up with a little twine. They all loved them! One is a runner, and said she enjoyed it for a pre-workout snack. It also kept her full for a good two hours. If you’re looking for a good, healthy snack, or a quick breakfast, I’ve got you covered!

Here’s My Notes:1)I used coconut, sliced almonds, & dried cranberries. Use whatever combination of dried fruit and nuts you like… pecans, raisins, dried dates, dried apricots, walnuts…just make sure everything is chopped up and stick to the measurements. If you put extra, the bars will not hold their shape, and will fall apart.﻿

2)To store…. I placed cut up bars in a plastic bag and stored at room temperature.

3)If you want to cut back on the sugar, omit the brown sugar and add 2 Tablespoons of water.

4)These bars must be room temperature before cutting. I wait two-three hours before cutting. Or you could make them at night and allow them to cool overnight. They will cut easily and hold their shape.

5)I cannot stress enough how important it is to line your pan with parchment paper. These are sticky! They will stick to the pan if you don’t spray it with non- stick cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Homemade Granola Bars {Healthy Breakfast On The Go}

Yields: 12 bars

Ingredients:

2 cups old-fashioned oats

1 cup sliced almonds

1 cup organic flaked coconut, unsweetened

1 heaping Tablespoon coconut oil

2/3 cup honey

1/4 dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

Pinch of salt

1 cup dried cranberries, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Spray a 10-inch square pan with non-stick cooking spray and line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.

In a large skillet over medium heat, toast the old-fashioned oats, sliced almonds, and coconut for about 5 minutes. It will smell fragrant and nutty once it’s toasted. Place in a large mixing bowl.

In a saucepan bring the coconut oil, honey, and dark brown sugar to a boil. Cook for about a minute, stirring with a wooden spoon, then remove from the heat, add vanilla & salt. Pour over the oat mixture and stir well. Stir in chopped, dried cranberries.

Pour mixture ﻿into prepared pan and press into the pan using the back of your spoon (I used a wooden spoon). Bake for 25 minutes. Place on a cooling rack to cool completely. Once cooled, remove from the pan and cut into 12 bars. Store in a plastic bag at room temperature or wrap individually in parchment paper. Enjoy !